Depop app launches programme to support charity sellers
Melanie May | 1 October 2021 | News
Fashion marketplace app Depop is launching a dedicated programme to help charity shops build successful online businesses on its marketplace.
The new Charity Seller Programme will provide charities on Depop with tools, resources, exclusive offers and personalised support to help them leverage the platform as an e-commerce channel.
Participants in the programme will be able to access support in the form of:
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- Regular updates on the most popular brands, styles, and items on Depop and among the Gen Z audience
- Access to an online community of listings experts and other charity sellers for tips, advice and Q&A
- Special opportunities for charity sellers to complete listing challenges and earn incentives or free fee periods
- The opportunity to participate in regular ‘drops’ from charity sellers, promoted to Depop users
- Tutorials and guides to introduce best practices for success
Charities increasingly turned to online retail during the pandemic with shops forced to close during lockdowns. Depop has seen the volume of charity shop listings on it increase by nearly 600% since March 2020 with sellers on the app including British Heart Foundation, Demelza Hospice, Oxfam Festival Shop, and TRAID.
Rachel Swidenbank, VP of Sellers at Depop, commented:
“The pandemic prompted many charities to pivot towards online selling, and we think there’s an amazing opportunity to build on this as the popularity of secondhand fashion continues to grow. Using platforms like Depop, charities can reach a much wider audience with a more extensive offering than they can on their shop floors. 73% of unwanted clothing is still incinerated or landfilled – together with the charity sector, we’re advocating for a wider audience to buy and sell secondhand as an undeniably better option for the planet and its people.”
“We’re passionate about helping our sellers succeed, and this programme is aimed at encouraging charities to thrive online by keeping them ahead of the latest trends, and sharing insights on digital merchandising.”
Charities looking to register a new Depop shop can email ch*******@de***.com.
BHF started off with a trial, which it announced it was expanding in September last year after making almost £10,000 through the app. It has now raised £28,000 with its Depop shop.
Allison Swaine-Hughes, Retail Director at the British Heart Foundation commented:
“We have been delighted by the response to our Depop account and feel like we have been truly embraced by its online community. Since launching, we have become one of the top sellers on the site, with a five-star rating and now have 14,000 followers, who have helped raise £28,000 for the charity’s vital research into heart and circulatory diseases.
“As the UK’s largest charity retailer, we are always seeking to expand our online operations and explore different avenues for raising funds for the charity’s important work. The Depop team were a fantastic support to us while we were setting up this initiative and continue to be so. It has been the ideal platform for us to sell trend-led donated items and attract a new audience of fashion focused shoppers, who are passionate about sustainability.”
Speaking on TRAID’s experience, Enedina Columbano, its Commercial Director said:
“Keeping clothes in use for longer is the core of TRAID’s work – an action we can all take to significantly reduce our waste, water and carbon footprint. Using Depop as an online selling platform is a brilliant complement to our bricks and mortar charity shops, extending our customer base both in the UK and globally, and providing more people than ever with access to high quality, environmentally friendly, second-hand fashion.”
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.